Label carrier for labeling machines



Dec. 16, 1941 LABEL CARRIER FOR LABELING MACHINES Filed Oct. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 15a jg 3 F} 245 F1 i i E figa'zzl ra: A, t at 543 35512." 19?!!52? F. A. CRAIG EVI'AL 2,266,008

Dec. 16, 1941. F. A. CRAIG ETAL LABEL CARRIER FOR LABELING MACHINES 5 Filed Oct. 25, 1940 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 fillllll [Eda 7 22 5%? fi'anczls A. 67a: Zucan TAM?? Patented Dec. 16, 1941 LABEL CARRIER FOR LABELING MACHINES Francis A. Craig, Worcester, and Lucian T. Allen,

Holden, Mass, assignors to Economic Machinery Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 25, 1940, Serial No. 362,750

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a transfer box or label carrier for machines adapted for applying labels to bottles or other articles and par ticularly to a label carrier readily adjustable to accommodate various dimensions of labels.

In certain types of labeling machines, as for example the semi-automatic labeling machine of the Holm application, Serial No. 285,306, filed July 19, 1939, the label is transferred from a stack of labels to the bottle or other article to which the label is to be secured by a label carrier, against the face of which the label is held by suction. During the transfer of the label the carrier passes the label over a gum-applying roll before it reaches the bottle or other article, and it is obvious that the label must be securely held to the carrier and that the portion of the carrier engaged by the label must correspond in dimension to the label.

Many labeling machines are adapted by adjustment to apply varying dimensions of labels to bottles or other articles also varying in dimension and, in making the change-over from one size of label to another, it has been necessary to remove the entire label carrier and to replace it with a carrier having a different label-engaging pad corresponding precisely in dimension to the label. The principal object of the present invention is to provide a label carrier or transfer box which can be readily adapted to different shapes and sizes of labels, with a minimum of change in the machine.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in' connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a labeling machine to which the label carrier of the invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the label carrier on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the pad for the label carrier adapted to accommodate one size and shape of label.

Fig. 5 is another pad adapted to accommodate a different size and shape of label.

With reference to the drawings, the improvement is shown in connection with a labeler of the semi-automatic type, one form of which is disclosed in the copending Holm application, Serial No. 285,306, above referred to. The bottle I, or other article to be labeled, is carried ment of the carrier.

on a vertically reciprocable support 2 which is also vertically adjustable to accommodate varying dimensions of bottles, as by means of a slot 3 and locking bolt 4.

The labels are delivered by any suitable means to a label carrier 5 reciprocable horizontally to carry the labels over a gumming roll 6 and then to a position directly above the bottle I to deposit the label thereon. In the arrangement shown, the label is held by suction against the underside of the label carrier, and suitable valve mechanisms relieve the suction when the carrier is directly over the bottle so that the label is released from the carrier at this point.

After the label is deposited on the bottle, the carrier moves rearwardly to allow a vertically reciprocable presser or wiper I to move downwardly and press the label securely against the bottle. The presser l is carried by a vertically movable bar 8 guided in a bracket 9 and the bar 8 is reciprocated vertically by any suitable mechanism, preferably from a main cam shaft which also provides for the vertical reciprocation of the bottle support 2.

The above mechanism is all fully described in the copending application of Holm, above referred to, and is not in itself the structure embodying the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, the pad with which the label is engageable, is separable from the remainder of the transfer box and can be readily removed to be replaced with a difierent pad, thereby avoiding the necessity for the removal of the entire transfer box.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the transfer box or label carrier 5 comprises an inverted box-shaped element l0 having a projecting lug lfla for attachment to the slide II, which guides the move- Ihe bottom of the boxshaped element is open, as shown. A suction hose I2 is connected to the box-shaped element to provide for maintaining a partial vacuum within the element when a suitable valve, not shown, is open.

The underside of the box-shaped element is closed by a plate I3, having upwardly projecting locating pins l4 engaging in openings i0b in the element and also having upwardly projecting studs l5 projecting through the box-shaped element and engaged by wing nuts I511. A suitable gasket IB around the periphery of the plate provides for a tight seal between the plate and the element to prevent leakage.

As shown in Fig. 4, the underside of the plate has applied thereto a rubber pad I! corresponding in area exactly to the shape and area of the label to be applied. Through the rubber pad are drilled a plurality of suction openings l8 communicating with the interior of the box-shaped element to cause the label to be securely held against the panel.

The plate I3, with its attached pad ll, may be quickly removed by disengaging the wing nuts l5, and another plate l3, with its attached pad I1, as shown in Fig. 5, may be substituted. As shown in Fig. 5, the pad in this arrangement is of a different shape to fit a label of a similar shape and the suction openings l3 extend through the pad and through the plate, as in the plate of Fig. 4. Thus, where the machine is to be changed over to apply a different dimension of label it becomes necessary merely to disengage the wing nuts I5 and replace the plate l3 and its attached pad I! by another plate and pad having on the underside a raised portion corresponding in area and shape to the particular label to be applied. This change-over is obviously much less difficult to make than would be the case if the entire label carrier were to be removed from the machine, since, in thisevent, it would be necessary to disengage the suction hose from the label carrier and re-apply it to the substituted carrier. Furthermore, the plate l3 and attached pad occupy much less space than would be required by an entire label carrier and i would necessarily be much cheaper to produce so that the cost of maintaining the necessary equipment for a change-over from one label to another would be minimized.

It will be understood that where the label carrier supports a label during the time that adhesive is applied thereto, theportion of the label carrier against which the label is held must of necessity correspond exactly in dimension to the label. Otherwise the gum would be applied to the label carrier itself with the result that the labels would 'not be discharged from the carrier at the proper point. Furthermore, any adhesive inadvertently placed on the carrier by the gumming mechanism would be transferred to the wrong side of the subsequent label and would necessarily interfere with proper functioning of the labeling machine.

In making a machine of this character readily convertible I for applying labels of varying shape to bottles also varying in shape and dimension, it is essential, not only that the label carrier be quickly converted to support the new label, but the bottle support must also be readily replaceable. As shown, the bottle support 2 may be replaced by another bottle support adapted for accurately locating a bottle of a different dimension. In addition, the wiper T is readily removable from its supporting bar 8 so that a difierent type of label presser or wiper may be substituted in making the change-over to a difierent dimensioned label and a different dimensioned bottle. In this way the machine is actually a universal labeler convertible with practically no lost time from one size of label or bottle to another.

We claim,

1. In a transfer box for labeling machines a box mounted for reciprocatory movement and having an open side, a suction conduit connected to said box, a plate removably attached to the open side of said box and having aplurality of openings therethrough and a label-engaging pad permanently attached to the outer side of said plate, said pad corresponding in dimension to to said box, a plate removably attached to the open side of said box and having a plurality of openings therethrough and a label-engaging pad permanently attached to the outer side of said plate, said pad corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said pad having suction openings extending therethrough and communicating with the suction openings in the plate, said box having small spaced openings therein and pins on the plate engageable with the openings for locating the plate in proper relation to the box.

3. In a transfer box for labeling machines a box mounted for reciprocatory movement and having an open side, a suction conduit connected to said box, a plate removably attached to the open side of said box and having a plurality of openings therethrough and a label-engaging pad permanently attached to the outer side of said plate, said pad corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said pad having suction openings extending therethrough and communicating with the suction openings in the plate, and releasable securing means for holding the plate tightly against the box.

4. In a label carrier or transfer box for labeling machines a slide mounted for reciprocatory movement, a box mounted on said slide and having an open end, a suction conduit connected .to said box and communicating with the open interior thereof, and a removable plate releasably attached to the open end of said box, said plate having a raised fiat surface on one side corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said plate having suction openings through said plate to communicate with the interior of the box, all of said openings being located in the raised surface, said plate being replaceable by a similar plate, the raised surface of which is shaped to correspond to a different dimension of label.

5. In a label carrier or transfer box for labeling machines a slide mounted for reciprocatory movement, a box mounted on said slide and having an open end, a suction conduit connected to said box and communicating with the open interior thereof, and a removable plate releasably attached to the open end of said box, said plate having a raised flat surface on one side corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said plate having openings through said plate to communicate with the interior of the box, all of said openings being located in the raised surface, and cooperating locating and claimping means on the box and plate for accurately positioning and releasably securing the plate on said box.

6. In a label carrier or transfer box for labeling machines a slide mounted for reciprocatory movement, a box mounted on said slide and having an open end, a suction conduit connected to said box and communicating with the open in terior thereof, and a removable plate releasably attached to the open end of said box, said plate having a raised flat surface on one side corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said plate having openings, through said plate to communicate with the interior of the box, all of said openings being located in the raised surface, said plate covering the entire open end of said box and securely engaging said box to form a tight seal therewith and releasable holding means for retaining the plate removably in position on the box.

7. In a label carrier or transfer box for labeling machines, a slide mounted for reciprocatory movement, a box mounted on said slide and having an open end, a suction conduit connected to said box and communicating with the open interior thereof, and a removable plate releasably attached to the open end of said box, said plate having a raised flat surface on one side corresponding in dimension to the label to be engaged thereby, said plate having openings through said plate to communicate with the interior of the box, all of said openings being located in the raised surface, said box having its open end entirely closed by said plate, and releasable clamping means for holding said plate removably in 10 position on the box.

FRANCIS A. CRAIG. LUCIAN T, ALLEN. 

